Nishu Azad case: Swatantra Bharadwaj sent to one-day police custody

A Delhi court has sent self-styled influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj to one-day police custody in the Nishu Azad case. Bharadwaj was arrested after being detained in Bulandshahr, amid protests seeking action over his alleged assault on a minor protester's father

New Delhi: Self-styled “influencer” Swatantra Bharadwaj, who claimed to have physically assaulted a student protestor’s father during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led Jantar Mantar demonstration, was sent to one day police custody on Saturday after being arrested by the Delhi Police.

A day earlier, Bharadwaj was detained by Delhi Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.

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On Friday, Delhi Police had assured to arrest the accused under sections of the POCSO Act, the SC/ST Act and attempt to murder, within 72 hours, following an agitation by the CJP outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi.

The CJP’s agitation was also joined by Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandra Shekhar, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav and Indian Youth Congress.

A controversy erupted after Bharadwaj, in a purported viral video, allegedly claimed to have assaulted the father of a minor protester, Nishu Azad, during the demonstration at Jantar Mantar and boasted that he was let off by the Delhi Police as he has “political connections”.

The agitators had sought the registration of an FIR against Swatantra Bharadwaj, under stringent sections and immediate arrest of the accused.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and LJP-RV chief Chirag Paswan, on Friday, claimed that his name has been “misused” by the accused in the purported viral video.

Paswan said that he has lodged an official complaint against the accused, identified as Swatantra Bharadwaj, and will ensure justice to the minor victim and her family.

“Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have filed an official complaint against him. At the same time, I have urged the Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter,” he told reporters in Patna.

Moreover, the LJP-RV chief stated: “Me and my party takes the responsibility to ensure justice to them because allegations have been put on me that may be due to my support, along with that of other politicians; action was not taken against the accused. So now we will ensure that the truth comes out and also ensure strict punishment for the accused who was openly mocking the legal system.”